The present invention generally relates to refrigerant systems and more particularly to a hybrid redundant seal for refrigerant systems.
Leakage may be a concern when designing refrigeration systems for aircraft applications and may result in a problem(s) that may hinder the performance of the system. Some systems use O-rings to seal all connections with a closed loop system. However in some aircraft, operating temperatures can reach the prescribed limits of an O-ring's functional capability which may leave very little margin of operating safety. Additionally, the available O-ring material selection can be very limited when used for compatibility with refrigerants that are used in the close loop systems.
As can be seen, there is a need for a seal system that can provide safe redundancy in aircraft refrigerant systems.